Made to Crave

Last year, my life took a very busy and stressful turn, and one of the first things to go was keeping up with blogging, especially my fitness blog. 

I've been terrible about keeping up on this blog, and it is virtual reflection of how successful I've been at keeping up on my fitness journey in real life.  Not so hot.  : (   

With the New Year came a desire to rediscover the joy of blogging.  And I'm doing that on my Everyday Becky blog.  For now, it is easier for me to use Everyday Becky to blog about everything in my everyday- including my fitness journey- instead of trying to maintain two blogs. 

And right now on Everyday Becky, I'm running a 10 week series called "Made to Crave" Mondays.  I'm blogging every Monday about a new book by Lysa TerKeurst, and the impact it is having on my personal weight loss journey. 

I hope you'll join me over on that blog.  Lysa is a guest blogger today and I think you'll like the insight she has about facing temptation and preparing ahead for it.  It hit home for me.  See you over there. 

You can click here to get to Everyday Becky. 

Love,
Becky  

I Kissed Dieting Goodbye...

And it is SO scary!

In the past, when I found myself in the place I am now- uncomfortable in my clothes and ashamed of the extra weight, my "go to" plan was the next diet. I was desperate to change NOW!!

But, it became harder and harder to start again. And it became harder and harder to keep it off.

As I continue in this quest for lasting change, I'm learning that all of the dieting in my past has taken a toll on my health and metabolism. I'm learning that only 2% of people who lose weight actually keep it off. If I want to be a part of the "2% Club", I'm going to have to stop dieting and start making lasting changes in my lifestyle, my behavior, and my thinking. Only then will I succeed in this journey and stop gaining it all back again.

In the past, I laughed at the claim that if I'd only make a few lifestyle changes, I could stop dieting. It always seemed like an excuse to be lazy and that the only real way to lose the weight once it was there was to diet. I didn't have the patience to lose it slowly. I was too embarrassed and felt like my life would end if I didn't get the fat off now!

The cost of that mentality was a screwed up metabolism and yet more failure.

Here I am again. But I'm not going on a diet.

I lost a 1/2 pound last week. That isn't much, but I also didn't diet last week. I rode my bike instead of driving my car when I could. I ate fruit and vegetables. I tried to cut back on sugar and white flour, and I drank a lot of water. I'm trying so hard to be patient, to be the tortoise instead of the hare so I can win the race. It is hard. I still feel desperate for change. I still wish it could be fast, but I want to keep it off even more.

These are the books I'm currently reading. I thought I knew everything there was to know about losing weight. These books are showing me I have much to learn about living a healthy life:

Question: Do you think it is possible to lose weight without dieting?

Trying Something New

The time between 3:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon is a danger zone for me and my fitness goals. I start each day with the greatest intentions of sticking to my eating plan, and then 3:00 rolls around. My energy crashes, I feel exhausted, and I feel like I NEED to eat.

Even if I try to eat something small and healthy, it seems to trigger an afternoon binge. It's been so discouraging! I've been wondering how to change things to survive that time of day.

Last week, a friend sent an email that had a saying in it that I'd heard before:

You should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a beggar.

Reading it this time, made me wonder if changing the order of my meals might help me with this afternoon dip. So I'm trying to eat a dinner size meal at lunch, a small afternoon snack that includes a healthy carb (like an apple) and a lean protein (like a hard boiled egg or string cheese) and then when I would have eaten dinner, I'm having a light lunch size meal.

I've got high hopes. I'll let you know if the change does any good for me. I'd love to hear if there are any other tips for increasing energy and curbing appetite for that time of day.

Babysteps

I'm trying to pick myself up, shake off the (figurative) snow from the latest avalanche, and start climbing again. I want to face victory and the top of the mountain, instead of laying here feeling sorry for myself and focusing on my failure and defeat.

I'm tackling this mountain again with babysteps. One new step a week.

Last week, I took Babystep #1: I started the "Couch to 5K" running plan. I printed the plan, put it on the fridge, and wrote the race date on it. My favorite part is marking off each workout with a big x. I'm proud to say, the first three workouts are checked off.

Today, I began Babystep #2: Deal with my sugar addiction.

I'm going sugar free from now until Easter to get it out of my system. This week's focus will be getting through my sugar cravings and thinking about how to deal with this issue.

For breakfast, I had oatmeal sweetened with raisins instead of brown sugar and added a handful of peanuts for protein. Feeling great about it so far.

I'll begin Babystep #3 next week.

Avalanche on the Mountain

In this journey I call "Climbing My Personal Mount Everest," I've come to the conclusion that this is going to be a continuous battle.

I have so far to go in figuring out how to have a consistent fit lifestyle and to have right thinking about and control over food.

The term yo-yo dieter could not be a better way to describe me. Or maybe an accordion-

Chubby, thin, chubby, chubbier, thin, than chubby again. In-out-in-out.
Up and down the scale.

My most recent attempts to climb the mountain have been a similar story-

• October 2008 - October 2009: Lost 50 pounds of post pregnancy weight.
• Wanted to lose 10 more before Thanksgiving, but then AVALANCHE!!! Watch out below!Gained 20 by the end of the holidays instead.
• January 2010, tried Nutri System again and lost 10 pounds. Yay! Only 10 more to get back to where I was in October.
• Oops... : ( Another avalanche on the mountain- 10 pounds are back on already.

Ugh! The winter blues and stress struck and food became a comfort and escape once again.

(Next year I will not begin the Fall and Winter season without a plan! The same thing happens every year! I'm tired of it.)

I know there are so many resources available to me as a Christian to win this battle, not in my strength, but His. That's my most recent prayer, "Show me how to tap into the strength, grace, and victory I have in You in order to overcome me."

I've made a positive step in the right direction- I started the Couch to 5K plan again. The two mini jog/walks I've been on so far make me feel like I'm coming out of hibernation. I love to run! I've got my eye on a 5K race in May and then hopefully more races over the summer.

Anyone still out there? : )

Ten Pound Tuesday: It Will Happen

Before Thanksgiving, huh?

Has anyone else come to the realization that all ten pounds might not be off before Thanksgiving?

I had the greatest of intentions- Lose 10 pounds before Thanksgiving. Instead, I gained a few and then maintained. And now it is only two weeks and a few days before Thanksgiving. It would take a serious grapefruit diet or fast to get ten pounds off by then, and that would be contrary to my "lasting change" goal.

I still want to encourage those of you who worked hard to get there by Thanksgiving. Here's me cheering you on, "YOU CAN DO IT!!!!" I'm so impressed by your ability to stick with it and stay focused. You're awesome.

And for those of us who aren't going to make it by Thanksgiving, I want to cheer us on, "WE CAN DO IT!!!!" Just not by Thanksgiving, but I'm determined. If I don't QUIT, it will happen. So my Ten Pound Tuesday is going to keep going until I get there. I hope some of you faithful readers will keep at it with me until we reach the finish line.

All of the encouragement and cheering me on last week helped me more than you can know. I'm working on getting my head back where it needs to be.

Here's some quotes from The Dieter's Prayer Book that have been an encouragement this week:

The most impacting chapter was number 7: "The Trouble with Denial."

The author quotes Dr. Phil in this chapter, "You cannot afford the luxury of defensiveness, and you cannot afford the luxury of lies and denial. Denial after all, is what kills dreams. It kills hope. It kills what might have a real chance to overcome a problem had the solution just been pursued in time."

I had to face again that I am my worst enemy. Not in a beating myself up kind of way, but I had to ask myself, "How am I getting in the way?" It's funny. Every time I want something or ask for something from God, His answer seems to be that I need change at the heart level first.

Ask God if there is any corner of your heart that you keep in the shadows of denial.

Is denial denying me success and health? (pg. 24)

I've just been trying to honestly look at what I do and think and feel that keeps me from crossing that finish line that I've been working so hard to cross. What barriers have I put up myself.

Chapter 10 was awesome, too: More Than Conquerors

Do you feel like a conqueror today? You are! Even if you feel defeated and victory seems far away. If there's one truth you cling to in the coming months, let it be this: Nothing- no amount of fat or failure!- can separate you from God's love or rob you of the conquering power you inherited from Him. (pg. 30)

Remember- It Will Happen!

Here's to a successful, more than conquerors, not letting myself get in the way week! : )

Thank You

Wow. All of your comments were so encouraging and helpful. You each gave me something to think about.

God is doing a lot of work on me from the inside out again. : ) I think I've made a good turn in the right direction again when it comes to this struggle with eating. I've decided it is something that will never be easy for me, but will be something God uses in my life to refine me and keep me close to Him.

I'm winning again in the battle of Becky vs. the Halloween candy, too, which is a big step! I thought it was a hopeless cause there for awhile. : )

Hope you all are having a great weekend.

I'm Really Struggling

When I thought up the idea of Ten Pound Tuesday challenge, I was so excited about the possibilities. I imagined how we could encourage and inspire each other, and how much easier it would be to get those last 10 pounds off. Then I...and I don't know what happened. It certainly has turned into a CHALLENGE for me. Instead of being easier, it got harder.

October disappeared in a haze of sickness, and now it is November, and instead of losing 10 pounds I've gained two.

I'm not only struggling to lose weight, but struggling just to get the blog post up on Tuesday. I'm so sorry. I do have some thoughts for a post that I hope will be more inspiring than this whiny one. Thank you so much for being patient with me.

I really like the book I'm reading. I'll be back soon with a new post. How's it going for all of you? Challenging? Successful? This is a tough time of year on the willpower, isn't it?

My Inspiration for the Day

Does the object of your desire support the weight of your desire?

I just posted a video on my personal blog by Jennifer Rothschild that spoke to me today. When I finished watching it, I found this other devotion video. Wow, did it hit home! I knew I wanted to share this other one with all of you over here. (You can pop over to Everyday Becky to learn more about Jennifer and to see the other video.)

Here's our question for the day- What would our lives be like if we lived this way?

I'm lifting all of the prayer requests from yesterday's post. This is a tough season when it comes to food. But you have a strength greater than yourself to make it through. Other Becky- I'm lifting your mom and asking God to give you peace and comfort while you can't be with her.

Cheering you all on!

Ten Pound Tuesday- Inspiration Just in Time

I'm going to give myself a week of being back in the land of the living before I do a progress report.

It's funny- most people stop eating when they are sick. As usual, I turn to food for comfort when I don't feel well. I did it again this time. I kept thinking, This might settle my stomach or This will give me energy or This will just feel good to eat! Then when it doesn't work, and I still feel yucky, I try something else. Dumb. : )

So, I need another do-over. : )

Thankfully, my new book, The Dieter's Prayer Book by Heather Harpham Kopp, arrived just in time for the inspiration I need. So far, I'm really enjoying it and grateful for the insight.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite quotes and my thinking from the introduction with you:

Spiritual Transformation

Slowly I came to realize that I needed more than just information and determination to conquer my own weakness. I needed daily inspiration and help- and a power greater than my own inadequate will. (pg. 3)

If there is one thing I've learned over these past 13 months, it has been that I have met the enemy and it is me. Within myself I am not strong enough. I have an inadequate will and inadequate ability to deny my own cravings and weakness. Instead of needing another diet plan or another exercise routine, I needed to start at the heart level. At the spiritual level. I'm learning that everything stems from the condition of my heart. That's why I agree with this-

Ultimately, I believe the struggle to gain control of our eating habits and to accept our own body involves a spiritual transformation. (pg. 4)

If lasting change is my goal, I need to be aware of this and to remain aware of it because:

For those of us who live in a culture of plenty, convenience, and excess, eating can become a substitute for soul tending. (pg. 5)

AND

Because none of us can stop eating altogether, the struggle to master our eating habits is ongoing- and always at risk of being derailed. (pg. 5)

Boy, I've proven that this month. Even after all of my success. Even after climbing so far up my personal Mt. Everest, the danger of avalanche is always there. I need a strength greater than myself to make it.

Does God Care About Dieting?

I'm really learning that He cares the most about the condition of my heart. Dieting draws me to where my heart is the healthiest:

With every hunger pang that has little to do with our stomach, God is calling us homeward, reminding us that He alone satisfies...As we do this, the same empty longing that makes us want to overeat will, if we let it, become a spiritual opportunity. (pg. 6)

Perhaps we think that these issues are too superficial, too vanity driven to merit a consciously tended conversation with our Creator...When we call on God to help us with our eating, we are not trivializing God's role in our daily life, but enlarging it. (pg. 7)

I'll share more later this week. I'm thankful I have this book to help me get my head, heart, and mind right so I can succeed.

I had a prayer request: Will you pray that I will get my strength back? I'm still feeling yucky, but it has been two weeks and I just don't want to keep laying around being sick. I want to get back to this and other goals in my life. Thank you!

How can I pray for you?

Let's share in the comments how things are going- you can share your success so we can celebrate with you and cheer you on, or you can be honest about challenges so we can pray or maybe even offer some ideas for solutions.

Hope you are all well!

I'm still here...

sort of. : )

I haven't been feeling well for the last two weeks, and what started out as a bad cold, just doesn't seem to be getting any better. I keep thinking, I'm not that sick, but I'm having a hard time keeping up on anything. All I want to do is sleep. And I wish that person who is trying to drill a hole in the middle of my forehead would knock it off! : )

I think it is probably time for a trip to the doctor. I'm sorry I've neglected all of you, especially those who are doing the 10 Pound Challenge with me. Don't give up on me!

Be back soon!

Love,

Ten Pound Tuesday

I'm sorry my post for 10 Pound Tuesday is a little late. It's been a busy Tuesday! : )

I'll be back this evening to update. My new book came and I'm excited to tell you about it.

Be Back Later.....

Becky

Ten Pound Tuesday- Do Over

How did your first week go?

I hope it was an awesome week and you saw some success on the scale. My friend, the "other" Becky in England, lost 2 pounds this week. Way to go Becky! Your blog comment showed up at just the time I needed some inspiration. I was already feeling ready to quit, and reading your email helped me refocus. Thank you!

Did you ever yell, "Do Over" as a kid? Whenever we dropped the dice on the floor during a game, or missed a shot during a game of "Pig" we always yelled, DO OVER!

Well, this week I'm declaring a do over for myself. I started Tuesday and Wednesday so motivated by this challenge. And then...

My daughter got sick, I got sick, my back went out again, hormones were raging....and I have many other excuses I won't bore you with. All week I kept saying, "All these people are paying attention now. I've got to get myself together!" But I didn't and I don't know why.

And then I weighted myself this morning. I do not have a great weight loss to report. Quite the opposite. I have a weight GAIN to report. 2 pounds. Ouch. This was anything but a stellar week.

But this morning as I'm thinking it all through, I'm thinking maybe it is a good thing for me to have a rough start. I'm hoping if any of you had a rough start, too, you won't give up and you'll just cry "do over" with me.

It's real life and losing weight is not easy. I want lasting change, so I need to look at my failures just as much as I do at my successes and ask, "Why?"

Here's what went wrong this week:

1. Thinking I've been doing this for so long now I can "keep track of it all in my head."

Yeah, that's what I thought about Natural Family planning after my first daughter was born. Ummm...we have two daughters who are only 13 months a part, so you can figure out how well I did with that! : )

2. Using food for comfort. I did not feel well this week hormonally and physically. I still don't. I have to find other ways to deal with that instead of comfort carbs.

3. No movement or exercise.

4. No water. I lived on coffee and Diet Pepsi this week. I'm not sure if this affected my weight loss, but I'm sure it isn't healthy.

Here are my goals for this week:

1. Detailed Food Journal. I cannot keep track of it in my head. It is too easy to cheat that way. I will be recording everything and planning ahead.

2. My back is hurt, but feeling slightly better today. I think some walking will do me good.

3. Water before caffeine

Here's to a better week for me! And a successful DO OVER. : )

Just because I had a rough week, doesn't mean you did. Any celebrations out there?

1. How did it go?

2. What challenges did you face? How did you handle them, good or bad?

3. Any goals for this week?

Feel free to answer any or none of these. I'm so thankful for all of your support. Don't forget to cheer each other on and visit the blogs of those who have them.

Here's me cheering you on:

Keep going! You can do it! : )

BTW- My prayer book isn't here yet. I'm hoping maybe today. I'll start blogging about that when it gets here.

Anyone watching Biggest Loser with me tonight? Go team Abby! : )

My Plan

I am so excited about all of you who are joining me for this challenge! I can't believe what a difference it has made for me already. Yesterday and today have been tough, but knowing you were all in this with me gave me an accountability factor that kept me on track. I'm not going to weigh in until next Tuesday morning, but I'm hoping I'm already on the way to our goal!

I wanted to get out "on paper," I mean cyberspace, exactly what my plan is for losing this weight. : )

Eating:

In the past, when it was time to lose weight, I would either diet and not have enough energy to exercise, or I'd workout hard and get so hungry, I'd blow my diet. This time I'm realizing that in order to be successful, I have to get that part balanced.

I've found that I lose weight at about 1200 calories. That is really low for a lot of people, but that seems like it is the magic number for me. I found, though, that not all calories are created equal. I have to make every one of those quality calories, or I get grumpy, always feel hungry, crash at about 3 or 4 o'clock, and often end up eating more than I should to make myself feel better.

So these are the rules I'm living by for food:

1. Produce and Protein at EVERY Meal/Snack I shoot for 3 fruits and about 4-5 servings of veggies a day. I add hardboiled eggs a lot or use milk or Whey powder for extra protein to breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack to help me get through my afternoon slump. I really think this is the "secret" to my success so far.

2. Spreading my calories out between 5-6 times a day to keep my blood sugar steady and me feeling satisfied.

3. Correct portions (measuring when I need to) *This is so eye opening for me when I start seeing what portions are supposed to be!

4. Trying to get at least 8 glasses of water in. This is always a tough for me because I'm such a coffee drinker but always makes a big difference in how I do.

5. Adding fiber or protein powder if I need to a meal to keep me satisfied (Generic Benefiber or Whey Powder)

Exercise:

I was doing so great with exercise until I had surgery in May and then hurt my back in August. I'm healed now from both, but need to be careful about my back, so I've got to ease into exercise again. For this week, my plan is to get at least 4-5 days of activity in, even if they are small. For example, Tuesday, I got up before the kids and rode my exercise bike, and then this morning was "Walk to School Day" for my girls, so I walked with them to school. Both weren't very intense, but I want to be careful to build up and not go gung ho like I always do and end up injured or eating too much. I'm looking for ways to play with my kids and to get outside in the Fall weather.

Eventually, I want to start doing the Couch to 5K plan again and work back up to P90X. I recommend the Couch to 5K plan if you are hoping to get into running. It was so great for me last Spring. It started out so easy and then I was completely ready for the race I ran. I can't wait to get that going again.

Inspiration:

I ordered a used copy on Amazon.com of Heather Kopp's book The Dieter's Prayer Book: Spiritual Power and Daily Encouragement. I've never read it, but am looking forward to getting that started, too. Let me know if any of you get it, too.

OK- That's my plan in a nutshell. : )

How have the first few days gone for all of you?
Anyone else want to join us?
Have you thought about what your plan is going to be?

I'm praying for all of us!

Ten Pound Tuesday Begins!

It's kick-off day! Are you ready?

I shared with you in my last post that I've had a hard time getting off the last 10 pounds. I'm down 51 pounds from September '08 and only have 10 more to go to cross the finish line.

I needed a push to get there, and many of you volunteered to join me. I'm looking forward to the support and encouragement we'll be able to give each other. You can join in at any point. The more the merrier. : ) Feel free to use the picture above if you want to blog about this or to put on your sidebar.

I wanted to share a little of my vision for how this will work. I see this being about support, accountability, inspiration, and fun.

Timeframe: Before Thanksgiving

I thought getting there by Thanksgiving would be reasonable and a great way to start off the Holiday season.

(Then we can do something different to support each other through the holidays)

Accountability: Each Tuesday, I'll post "Ten Pound Tuesday" where I'll tell you my results,
challenges, and goals for the week. You'll be able to link to your blog if you are sharing your efforts there, or you can tell us how you did in the comments section here if you don't have a blog or aren't ready to go quite that public. It's totally up to you. You never have to tell us how much you weigh. I'm not planning on telling you how much I weigh, either. : )

Inspiration:

I found this book online and after reading excerpts I thought it looked like a great fit for me. I'm ordering it and will be reading it and blogging about it throughout this challenge. You don't have to buy the book to play along, but it would be fun to know others are reading along with me, so let me know if you do.

Fun: OK, now you're wondering how losing weight could ever be fun. I'm working on that. : ) For now though, I think it will be fun for you all to "meet" each other. I know a lot of you, but I am excited for you to get to know and cheer on each other. I'm hoping along the way we'll all plan some rewards for ourselves, and I'd like to throw in a few little giveaways. As always I'm on a budget and want these to be calorie free, so they will be little and not Starbucks this time. : )

How to Begin:

1. Use the comments here to introduce yourselves to one another. Tell us a little about yourself and your goals for this.

2. Make a plan! I truly believe you can't just want to lose 10 pounds. I'm hoping everyone will pick something healthy, no grapefruit diets or starvation plans, promise? Remember lasting change is the goal. Over the next few days, I'll share what my plan is going to be, but here's my disclaimer- I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, just a girl trying to lose weight, sharing with her friends what's working or not working for me.

3. Optional- Order The Dieter's Prayer Book: Spiritual Power and Daily Encouragement by Heather Kopp

4. Optional- Become a follower of this blog so you'll know when I've posted. It is a little less consistent than my personal blog, so following lets you know when I've updated other than Tuesdays.

Can't wait to get to know each other better. Here's to less of us by next week!

Want to Do this Together?

I'm feeling so good lately.

I never thought that would be a problem. But in a way it is. I'm fitting into clothes. People have been so kind with compliments. It's wonderful, but a problem, also.

Because I don't feel desperate anymore, I'm struggling to stay motivated to get ALL the way to my goal.

I'm only 9 pounds away. So close. Yet so in need of some motivation/encouragement to make it to the end.

I'm not exactly sure what I've got planned, but I was wondering if there are any other readers out there interested in supporting each other to lose 10 pounds?

• They could be your first 10, to get you jump started.


• They might just be 10 that you've been packing around for awhile and know you'd feel better to kiss them goodbye.


• Or you might be like me, 10 pounds away from a goal you've been working toward for a long time and need a push to cross the finish line.

I just think it would be fun to do some kind of challenge, or book club, or support group, or something to give us all the accountability and support we need. Anyone out there interested or possibly interested? Ive got some ideas rattling away in my brain, and I'll come up with more details soon. Let me know if you have some fun ideas.

As always, the focus will be lasting change, not quick fixes. (Who wants those 10 pounds back at the end? I sure don't!) : )

Hope you'll join me!

Biggest Loser Starts Tonight!

I love that show! : )

Hope my DVR didn't fail me so I can watch it tonight later.

Any other Biggest Loser fans out there?

One Year Ago- Before and After

Yikes! How did a MONTH go by without an update?


Thanks Andi and Crystal for reminding me that I was neglecting my poor fitness blog! : ) School starts again on Monday. Fall is in the air, structure is returning to our life again, and I will be here on a much more regular basis.

As I look toward the first day of school, I'm reminded of where I was at in this fitness journey one year ago.


It was the first day of school 2008, and I was at the beginning...facing Mount Everest once again.


I was emerging from four years of loss and grief, and had given birth to a baby two weeks before someone caught me in this picture. I definitely wasn't posing for photos at the time. I never want to be there again.

Today, I am celebrating that this is the me who will be taking my girls to school this year:




But I am also praying, because I know I'm about to face the most difficult part of this journey of all- the lasting change part. I would like to lose between 10 - 15 pounds more and be done losing. I then enter into the part I've never learned how to do: maintenance of a healthy lifestyle and weight.


More posts to come soon!


Thanks for cheering me one!


Stats:

45 pounds gone
15 to go
Goals: Learn maintenance and how to keep off the yo-yo diet trap. Learn how to have lasting change spiritually and physically.

Confession Time

I've spent a lot of time talking about my successes lately. I think it is equally important to share my failures.

I just came home from my son's doctor appointment. He's been sick, his sisters have been sick, I feel sick. It was two hours past lunch time. Everyone was melting down. The door to door meat salesman was at the door.

I was hungry, grumpy, and stressed, and I cheated on my diet. I just started grabbing handfuls of cereal, bites of the zucchini bread I made for everyone else, then it turned into "just a little mugful of cereal" which had to be refilled three times. I finally decided I needed to stop myself, come over here and confess and then get out of the kitchen and back on track.

To be honest, I just want to give in to this binge. I want to, but I'm not going to do it. That's why I'm rambling on this blog right now, stopping myself. The old me wants to wait until tomorrow to get back to it, and to enjoy this mess up to the fullest extent. But the new me likes being the new me and wants to do things differently this time around.

So....I think I'll grab an apple, drink some water, and be done. The End. : )

By the way....

How many times do you have to tell the meat salesmen you don't want meat before they stop coming anyway? Seven times? Seventy times seven times?????

Told you I was grumpy.

The 4 P's That Are Working for Me:

1. Prayer- This journey has been way more about me being spiritually healthy and figuring out what was the underlying causes of my weight issues. God has blessed me so much this time and I'm so grateful. I've asked Him to re-teach me how to eat and think about food and my body, to be the strength and discipline for me that I don't have in myself, and to show me how to do this in a way that would please Him.

2. Produce: I'm eating at least four servings of vegetables: 2 at lunch, 2 at dinner, and 3 fruits a day. The bulk of the veggies really curbs my appetite and the fruit has become a treat.

3. Portions: I think there are two schools of thought when it comes to dieting- eat bigger portions of "light" food or eat small portions of "real" food. I've learned to really enjoy real food, just less of it. I'm re-learning what a bowl of cereal should look like or allowing myself some dessert- just a little. I'm also using light foods, reduced calorie and fat, but I'm sticking to food that tastes good. I don't want to sacrifice taste just so I can have more.

4. Protein: Adding protein to my meals has helped so much with keeping my appetite down and steady. Whey protein is an easy way to add protein to meals.

I'm getting to a point where I'm really enjoying things. Shopping is getting fun again. I just feel good and I'm so grateful.

I weighed in this morning, so here's a progress report:

- 45 pounds since September

Goal: Lose ten more before August 14th and then learn how to maintain the weight loss. That is something I've never learned in the past. I've been a yo-yo dieter and am determined not to be this time.